1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors for establishing contacts between antenna connection terminals and between contact terminals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors of this type are used to connect cables for transmitting signals to receivers from antennas which are mounted on moving objects such as automobiles. However, most of the conventional electrical connectors are used to connect a cable of a single antenna to a receiver.
FIG. 23 shows such a conventional male connector 80 which includes an insulation housing 82 with a fitting cavity 83 having a pair of insulation walls 84. An antenna terminal mount 85 is provided on the upper left-hand corner of the insulation housing 82. A number of male terminals 86 are mounted at predetermined intervals on opposite sides of each insulation walls 84 for serving as signal terminals or power terminals. An antenna male terminal 87 is mounted on the antenna terminal mount 85. The antenna male terminal 87 has a male central conductor 100 and a resilient male outer conductor 101 surrounding the male central conductor 100.
In FIG. 24, the central conductor 101 and the outer conductor 102 are connected to the central conductor 103 and the outer conductor 104 of a shielded cable on the rear side of the male connector 80.
In FIG. 25, the male connector 80 is attached to a panel 89 by inserting the housing 82 through an opening 89a of the panel 89 and screwing a bolt 90a into a embedded fixture 87a with a rug washer 87b placed between the housing 82 and the panel 89. A board 88 is then attached to the housing 82 by tightening a nut 90b. The front end of the rug washer 87b is connected to the outer conductor 102 of the male terminal 87 via a lead wire 105 for grounding.
In FIG. 26, a conventional female connector 81 includes an insulation housing 91 with two pairs of insulation walls 92. A number of female terminals 93 are mounted at predetermined intervals on the inner sides of each pair of insulation walls 92 for serving as power terminals or signal terminals. An antenna terminal mount 94 is provided on the upper right-hand corner of the insulation housing 91. An antenna female terminal 95 is mounted in the antenna terminal mount 94. The antenna female terminal 95 has a female central conductor 106 and a female outer conductor 107.
When the female connector 81 is connected to the male connector 80, the insulation walls 92 of the female connector 81 are fitted into the fitting cavity 83 of the male connector 80 so that the signal terminals and the power terminals of the female connector 81 are brought into contact with those of the male connector 80 while the antenna female terminal 94 is brought into contact with the antenna male terminal 87.
However, it is very difficult and expensive to connect the male outer conductor 102 to the panel 89 for grounding because the lead wire 105 must be soldered to the rug washer 87b which is secured between the panel 89 and the housing 82 with a bolt 90a and the embedded fixture 87a. In addition, it often causes poor connection.